Comics! Batman & Robin #15

Batman & Robin #15 

Peter J. Tomasi: writer
Patrick Gleason: penciller
Mick Gray: inker

Solicitation and Preview

Review
I like how other books, such as Detective, will let you know when you need to read another book before reading the issue that you currently have in case you missed some plot points. This book is missing the "Please read Batman #15 before reading this issue" on the first page. With that and some other confusing moments happening throughout the Bat-books right now, a definitive timeline for the books needs to be done.

Small rant aside, please don't read this book until after you have read Batman #15 and have a strong stomach. This was one of the first Death of the Family books that I've read where my stomach was not feeling too good afterwards.

Most of the books have been displaying the mask as some what rigid and attached to Joker's face rather tightly. Outside of one other book, the mask doesn't really seem to move around a lot.

Well, it does a lot in this book. In almost a way that makes it seem like the mask as its own personality, which is kinda a creepy way of looking at it.

This book is pretty much the Damian vs. Joker book where they discuss the philosophical reasoning for the Batman and Robin relationship with Joker thinking it needs to go and Robin obviously wanting to just kick Joker's ass. You get the general feeling and vibe that both characters are more than willing to kill each other, with Robin taking the direct approach and Joker wanting to put on a show.

The end leaves a cliffhanger that I'm not fully buying. It either is a spoiler for what happens in next month's Batman comic, or it is a sick joke played by the Joker as he just dresses someone up in a Batman costume to get at Robin.

The art by Gleason is awesome to look at. I couldn't help but notice that I was confused almost throughout the issue in terms of the space the characters occupied and the general sense of the room they were in. I couldn't tell if characters were upside down or standing up, and it seemed like they were always falling or going into another trap. Knowing that Gleason can be rather good at these details, I am more in the thought that this confusion was deliberate to throw off the balance of the story with the appearance of Joker. It was a job well done.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm sold. How else will I find out what that cliffhanger ending was about? And I'm seriously wondering which character will succeed in killing the other.

Comics! Batgirl #15

Batgirl #15

Gail Simone: writer
Daniel Sampere: pencils
Vicente Cifuentes: inks

Solicitation and Preview

Review
I just wish we could get some consistency from this book.

The latest news for Batgirl has been troubling. First Simone was kicked off the book, then she was brought back on. The art team seems to be a rotating cast of a couple artists.

Beyond those issues, we have a really great ass kicking Batgirl in this book. Which is great, unless you get halfway through the comic where she recoils her character. Again. All due to a single "sniper" shot from out of nowhere. But where is the sniper at in this low-ceiling of a skating rink? And if the sniper is in the area, why couldn't she just find him and take him out from within the skating rink? Just in the same way she took out random villain guy on her way out before icing her mom's finger?

We also get a reveal that James and Barbara's former roommate are together in some way. I've been missing issues of this comic so I can only guess as to what their relationship is. But wouldn't you be cautious of some guy who dresses up like he came from the Matrix and whose part in his hair switches from side to side? I know I would have a beef or two with him.

And when I read lines like "every day for four years" coming from Batgirl, I just have to cringe a little. I tire of trying to fit everything into some Bat-timeline between the titles. I'll leave it up to someone nerdier than myself to come up with a complete timeline of events and then I'll give a crap about it.

The Joker flashback story only tangentially connects with the main story. Some of the idea of what Joker is doing since he came back faceless was this motif of him repeating his crimes, albeit with a flare for the more dangerous this time through. So to give the proper context of the ending of the book, we get the flashback of Joker detailing how he did this before. I get it and understand it, and it is a different way of telling that part of the story that the other bat books haven't really done. With the execution of that story telling device, I'm left a little iffy on it. I can't tell if it needs to be shorter, expanded in some areas, or if it crashes too much into the main story. I like it more than I liked Batgirl leaving the skating rink, so that does give it a place.

I did like the story overall. It just felt like a giant pivot was made when it was getting really good. The sniper shot just felt like the decision Barbara was about to make was taken out of her hands, and I would have rather seen a character moment there instead of what was done.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: Maybe. That's a big maybe.

Comics! Creator-Owned Heroes #7

Creator-Owned Heroes #7 

Scott Morse, Jerry Lando, Darwyn Cooke, Steve Niles, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray

Solicitation and Preview

Review
Let us give a heartfelt salute to the surprisingly penultimate issue of Creator-Owned Heroes. This was a comic that had a million ideas going in each book, and enough inspiration and heart to it to really give fans of sequential story telling as much bang for their buck as they could.

There have been some stories that will be collected from the comics side of the book and some stories which will be brought out in a different arena than this comic. But I'll be missing the interviews and advice that were right there along side those stories each month.

To say I am saddened by this loss is an understatement. I remember hearing that some British writers were inspired to write their own books when they saw some script pages for Judge Dredd appeared in 2000 A.D. years ago. It was that little bit of behind the scenes goodness that inspired a whole influx of writers and artists. It makes me wonder how the information contained within these pages will inspire a group of writers and artists.

I am flipping through the book and am just thinking about how much this book simply rocks. This would be the kind of book I would give to new comic readers as a way to show them that there are more than just superheroes. There are new worlds at every turn of the page.

Grades
Words: 10/10
Pictures: 10/10
Buy Next Issue: One last dance, just for old time's sake.

Comics! Detective Comics #15

Detective Comics #15

Written by John Layman
Art by Jason Fabok
Back up art by Andy Clarke

Solicitation and Preview

Review
This is not the Death of the Family tie in you are looking for.

Seriously. just go elsewhere. Joker is mentioned a couple of times, and his influence is felt, but you only get a couple panels showing him and honestly the special wrap around cover showed more face than what you get inside the comic. Kinda crappy, but that's what you get with this"tie-in."

What this issue shows is that there are a lot of moving parts to Gotham that is happening in the criminal underworld and you wonder just how much of a grip or even understanding of the situation that Batman has on it. Even as a reader you have to wonder what all happened to make this issue come together. There are references to check out the latest Batman and Birds of Prey comic to see what has been going on in those comics to help tell more of the story in this one. While I do consider that some weak sauce to cross promote books, having that happen in a comic that is supposed to be part of a crossover is even worse.

Ogilvy, who has slowly been moving up the ranks in previous issues of Detective, gets put into the head position of Penguin's empire thanks to Joker needing Penguin. Now referring to himself as Emperor Penguin, Ogilvy quickly tries to form an alliance with Ivy that may lead to nowhere thanks to the epilogue of the Ivy/Clayface story. And on that note, I must send some smart thinking kudos to Layman with the idea of having Ivy grow a poison inside of Clayface. We get all the details about how it went down in the back up, and I must admit that is a pretty ingenious move.

I had to laugh out loud at Batman's special suit that he wore when facing Clayface for the second time in the book. The costume just reminded me of one of those action figures from years past with the strange coloring that makes almost no sense. I wonder if that is something that Layman will bring back in future issues. I wouldn't mind the occasional flash to the past with those costumes.

The art in the back up and the main story continue to gel very well with one another. I saw nothing but a solid, well done job on both stories. I do find it kinda surprising that the back up story isn't really noted in any way on the cover of the book. That seems to be a DC wide thing to do with other books I've been picking up. Something definitely needs to be done to give credit where it is due, because some of the back-ups just work so well.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: I wonder which story I'm looking forward to more, how much Death of the Family will tie in, or a more prominent focus on the main story.

Comics! Nowhere Men #1

Nowhere Men #1 

Eric Stephenson: writer
Nate Bellegarde: artist

Solicitation and Preview

Review
Well, that was a bit of a sudden stop.

Nowhere Men started out really good. It gave a simple set up, did some nice work to introduce you to all the main characters, and then took a strange turn towards something else.

This book wanted to be presenting science as the new rock and roll, and it did that excellently at first. We got a profile of all the "Beatles" type of characters introduced in a way that I thought was done rather nicely in a newspaper article. Complete bios and everything.

The book then took a turn at jumping into the future of those characters were they have succeeded and become old. One is missing, and we are shown what I am assuming is one of their creations going crazy and killing scientists. I was right along for the ride, looking to see what happened in all those years in-between.

Can I say that I'm a fan of the double page spread for the title page? I think it is a nice take on it and I can't recall it being done in many comics before. A lot of the Jonathan Hickman books do it, and it is done nicely. We get some pictures that will typically have some meaning behind the title of the story of the story itself, and it always looks like something that should be on a poster. I like that about a title page in a comic book.

Then the story does a big shift and goes to a new setting and new characters. Interesting turn of events. I rolled with it hoping to see some sort of connection to the first story, but I had a hard time trying to connect it. Essentially, you get the idea that the project that the second cast of characters is working on is probably financed by the first group of characters. But they don't get the same sort of intro and treatment that the first group did. Granted, there was still enough ground work to establish some personality and who was who, but it just felt like it got cut off at the end.

This issue really felt like it should have been a double sized first issue. The story had the right pace going for it, it just needed a few more pages to get everything really rolling. This is sad because it feels just like another Image first issue that just didn't have the right legs to stand on coming out the door. The idea is pretty cool, but the execution just didn't feel like it was there.

And after looking at all the story, I must say that the art was nicely done. Effective, and gave each character some body language to work with. The backgrounds seem to be about half not there and half sorta there. What I mean by that is that it seemed there was a lot of room left for dialogue that could have easily been filled with something else besides the blank space. Perhaps more close up shots of the characters would have prevented that problem.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm split about it. I may check out the second issue if my shop gets it, but I may just wait until later and get the digital version.

Comics! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #16

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #16 

Story: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art: Andy Kuhn

Solicitation and Preview

Review
If you wanted to see an issue long fight scene, this was your comic. If you came to see the turtles debate as they fight and come to different, opposing conclusions, then this was your comic as well. And if you came to find out if this was going to be Kuhn's last issue, the letter columns have a surprise for you!

I've talked before about a properly done and choreographed fight scene. When we got our establishing shot of the fight area for this comic, it didn't look like there was much room to go around. But, just like Slash's size, the space available became infinitely bigger and smaller depending on what was asked for in the scene. Big, just slightly taller than the turtles, and then gigantic where Leonardo crouching on his shoulders makes him appear about 20 feet tall, and back down to something smaller when Hob comes out at the end. Hell, even when Leo's sword is in Slash doesn't give us much of guess to how tall he should be. Then check out the size of the blood on the sword and how is magically goes from just about halfway to almost all the way to the hilt and back again. And that thing was in pretty deep to begin with anyway.

I am still liking how each turtle displays his own personality, even in the middle of the fight. I was kinda surprised at how Donatello wanted to put Slash down, but it made sense since it is the logical thing to do. If any one has a mix of Vulcan in him, it will be Donatello.

This is a Splinter sits on the sidelines and tries to play comic relief issue. I find it difficult to follow because then he will have great, inspiring speeches that try to show he can be serious, but moments like these drags it down.

Hobs showing up with a surviving Slash just seems like it was a "duh, I expected neither of them to be dead" moment, but it just seemed more eye rolling than anything. Slash hasn't related with anyone. So how will Hob reign him in? Actually, I take that back a bit. Slash did put on the face mask when he saw the other turtles with theirs on, which makes me wonder if he was more sparring with them in this issue than actually fighting. Maybe "kill" is just his way of saying "hi."

Speaking of the face mask, it should have been lost at some other point in the fight than just at the end. If you look at the fight as him just relating to the turtles as best as he can and not understanding that "kill" means what it does, then a good moment for him to make a character turn would have been with the mask coming up and then going full rage on the turtles.

Grades
Words: 8/10 - Some great character work was done in this issue.
Pictures: 5/10 - Sorry to see you go Kuhn, but for an issue that focused on a fight throughout, whatever you had done in the last issue to make Slash more dangerous in appearance was lost in this issue.
Buy Next Issue: New story arc and new artist? Color me intrigued.

Comics! Planetoid #4

Planetoid #4 

Story, Art, Lettering: Ken Garing

Solicitation and Preview

Review
This is a penultimate issue and it feels like it towards the end. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is your basic setting everything up for the conclusion next issue.

This issue isn't without some small surprises and some big ideas. For example, we get to see Mendel again, who was the old man that helped Silas out in the second issue. It honestly feels like ages since we last saw him, if only because so much time has passed in the book.

One of the big ideas that I found intriguing is that the Slab is basically a building made by a giant 3-D printer. That is freaking cool! Imagine that, an entire city built out of a 3-D printer.

This comic also reveals a bit of a secret that Silas has. He and Mendel exchange a death bed confessional (that's not a spoiler, you could see that coming a mile away) where Silas basically says he was a slave trader. That is an interesting turn character reveal, but I'm not sure if it was really warranted. Maybe it will work better with a reveal next issue or in the next mini-series (if we get to see more of this world), but it has seriously been so long since I read the first issue that it seems like a weird point.

This issue continues to bring show some consistently great art. The one complaint I have in the art is that some scenes seemed to be stretched out a little bit. Sometimes it was for dramatic effect, but other times it just felt a little unnecessary. In the end, it all came together to be able to fit in with any other issue seamlessly.

There isn't any place to go from here but to see an eventual war. And since Silas' gun is now MIA, it is going to take an interesting turn from here. Maybe Mendel's fate will be shared by Silas, or maybe he will stand his ground and fight. My one request would be to show the Ono Mao has more than a one-dimensional type of villain. I understood how they were acting when they were all robots, but since we got an intelligent, organic looking leader for them, I was hoping to see some more depth. At least it will give me something to look forward to the next issue.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 8/10
Buy Next Issue: For the final issue, why not?

Comics! Bedlam #1

Bedlam #1

Story: Nick Spencer
Art: Riley Rossmo

The Solicitation

Fillmore Press was once Madder Red, a homicidal maniac and criminal overlord who terrorized the town of Bedlam for years. Then he got better. This is what happens next.

A double-sized introduction to a blood-soaked cityscape of murder, mayhem, and mystery by NICK SPENCER (MORNING GLORIES, THIEF OF THIEVES) and RILEY ROSSMO (REBEL BLOOD, GREEN WAKE)!


Preview

Why I Bought It
I had heard good things about the book. It sold out quick at my shop so it took a bit before I could get a copy of it. Staying away from all reviews and mentions about the book, I dive right in...

What I Liked
Oh, this was good. This is what would happen if Joker was real, really killing people, and then got a lobotomy. Flash forward some time and his brain is growing back. This is not good news for the person trying to live a "normal" life with medicine and memory loss. But it all is slowly starting to come back.

I wasn't a fan of Rossmo's art in Green Wake, but I am enjoying it here. Not too heavy on the dark colors and that is making all the difference for me. The limited color pallet is also something that is very striking to me and stands out. Just all nicely done.

I am thankful that this book was a double sized issue. It gave the plot and characters a chance to breathe and set every thing up to get the reader interested in the story. I really can't see a place where this book could have ended halfway through and still been as compelling as two separate issues.

What I Didn't Like
I'm kinda upset that I couldn't get this comic when it first came out and I had to wait. It had some good payoff as I essentially was able to read this and issue #2 back to back. With this issue being double sized, that was essentially three comics in a row of getting to know this world and hopping along for the ride.

Panel to Remember
I'm going with the very last page. If there was any doubt in your mind what kind of story you were reading and who was who, that last page definitely sealed it.

Quotable
"We are not who we were- we are who we are." Keep telling yourself that, it will get you far- oh wait, it doesn't.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: I bought it with the first one. So that makes this a yes.

Comics! Revival #5

Revival #5 

Story by Tim Seeley
Art by Mike Norton

The Solicitation
Em is going to need her ability to NOT DIE to save May Tao from Blaine's garage. But something lurks in the forest nearby, and it wants IN.

Preview

Why I Bought It
This book continues to be interesting to me. What can I say, it is a charmer.

What I Liked
Part of any good mystery is only revealing half the story to the audience and letting the guess work build to complete the story or take a stab at the potential ending. So what we got in this issue was more peeling back the layers of characters as they discover some revelations about themselves and others.

And it just keeps building.

I think it would be hard for someone to walk into this book at this point and really understand what could be going on. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing, but it is some food for thought. Usually that annoys me about a book, but for some reason this book just doesn't make me care about that detail. It is just hitting a good spot.

What I Didn't Like
Damn it. Only when I think about the fact that this issue might not be a good issue to start with and I was OK with that does some come up that gives me a reason. That cover is bad ass and very intriguing. So it will be bringing in some new readers. And here it stands not being too new reader friendly.

A minor point, but one that I will easily over look and forgive.

Minor art note: when she pulls the arrow out of her chest and there is blood on her shirt, make sure that the blood is visible, especially when you show her at profile jumping over to the other snow mobile and the blood should be visible.

Panel to Remember
I'm going to give it to the one page that was given to the girl all bruised and bloody in the snow. (Don't want to give away spoilers beyond that).

Quotable
"Waauuuuuuuh." - Those weird things. I'm beginning to like them a little.

Grades
Words: 8/10
Pictures: 8/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm going to keep on trucking on this one.

Comics! Clone #1

Clone #1 

David Schulner: writer
Juan Jose Ryp: Artist

The Solicitation
From ROBERT KIRKMAN's Skybound imprint, comes a sci-fi story like you've never seen before! Dr. Luke Taylor's perfect life comes to a dramatic halt when an identical, bloodied version of himself arrives at his doorstep with news that he is one of many clones... and they're all after his pregnant wife and their unborn child!

Preview

Why I Bought It
The previews for the book were in the back of some recent Image books and it looked interesting. Let's see what it has for a full first issue.

What I Liked
An interesting start.

This is the first book ever done by Schulner, and you can see some rookie mistakes where he will be cutting his teeth over the next bit for the book. Words are very scarce when we need something a little more. Instead, the art is left to develop the story. It s a nice one-two combo that shows that there is some talent there, but as the reader you are going to be required to walk through the steps with the creators.

Ryp's art in the book is pretty good. There are a lot of medium and close up shots that are designed to bring you in, but the lack of some establishing shots make me wonder if something with a wider shot can be done with the work. We only had one page in the story that was a full page (not that there is anything wrong with that) with the characters taking up half the space and little left for the background and the blood covered floor. The action scenes also felt a little off. They were drawn beautifully, but they were badly choreographed.

What I Didn't Like
I don't like it when a book opens with a first person narration and then never goes back to it. Seriously, the only non-dialogue information given in the book is in the opening and you can't be too sure of who is supposed to be saying it. And it isn't until near the end of the book that we start to have multiple characters talk in a single panel, which is where it felt to me that room was left for the artist to do his thing.

When I finished the book, I just felt like I learned nothing new about the story that I couldn't get from the preview pages. The book had a very decompressed feel to it when I think that it needed to have a little more bang to it. Yes, some action happened in it, but I still don't know much about the main character and why I should be into finding out more about why we should care that he is a clone. With the decompressed feel to the book, I wonder if this might be something that will be better to read in a trade.

Panel to Remember
I'm going with the very last one of the book. I get that the idea is that he supposed to be shocked, but was the only thing you can do artistically was give him the same look that he has had pretty much throughout the comic with a background that isn't as detailed as previous panels? It just felt like something a little more could have gone there.

Quotable
"It's over, my brother." - When the character delivers a line like that in a book that we know is about clones then I would say it would be OK to reveal his face in the next panel. But we don't get that. So the character who said this line will be called the Faceless Clone.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: I had higher hopes for this book. Considering the vibe I'm getting from this first issue, I think it may be best to trade wait or get the collection as a digital comic.

A Response to Ravingnerd

A Response to Ravingnerd

This post won't make sense unless you travel to this link and read the post. Done? OK.

The original post, as you can tell, was edited from the first version. That's fine. I made a comment on the post, and got a response from the writer of said article, Ravingnerd. So, in all fairness, I thought it would be best to post a long response here, and anyone wishing to see the continued conversation can also check out my site to get to know me a little bit as well.

Shameless self promotion aside, Ravingnerd's post was one that irked me for a couple of really good reasons. The jist of the post was that he was listing off some of his pet peeves, with a warning that some of the content may appear fairly closed minded and bigoted, but the intention is for it to be humorous. There are a few lies in that initial statement, or at least what I see as lies. The first is that these obviously aren't pet peeves, because listing them off like this in that long of a post with the loaded words used smells more of hatred to me, which is a couple of levels above pet peeves. But he is correct that it would appear closed minded.


So let's take this opportunity to educate someone about comics, which is something he thought he was doing but was actually the opposite.

Point 10: "I am bugged by just what all can get a comic these days." Comics are words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures. Some companies are in the business of making money, and put forth material that they think will sell. So if we see this huge amount of political comics, then that is simply what the market is asking for and what is selling. But the examples you gave are not political comics, they were biographical comics about politicians. There is a distinct difference.

Point 9: "The old guard. You know who they are." When you go on to give your Doctor Who example later on, you are making the same mistake. You are the old guard attacking the Matt Smith viewers.

Point 8: "Men." Get your head out of superhero comics. Y: The Last Man is the perfect example against your theory. See also any Greg Rucka book.

And I bet you any amount of money that good writers would say they write good characters. Their sex doesn't matter, because their sex doesn't define their character.

Point 7: "Women." There are some feminist critiques that go too far, but there are exponentially more that are spot on. Google image search "broke back pose" and you will see how spot and justified a lot of the critiques are.

Point 6: "Let it be known now that there is a HUGE difference between manga/anime and comic books." Are anime and manga books nothing but words and pictures? In some sort of sequential, story telling form? They are both one and the same.

Point 5: "Internet forums. Really, who uses those?" According to your own example, the old guard does. And I've seen some well done forums as well. See old Warren Ellis forums. They had this thing where they had people use their actual name and not hide behind some moniker, such as your own. That's not meant as a personal attack (honestly). The idea is that if they are your opinions then you should attach your name to it and own up to them.

Point 4: "“Whovians” Introduced to Doctor Who through Matt Smith are the absolute worst." No, they aren't. You use that as a stepping stone to showing them the other actors who played the Doctor. And then you tell them that a true Whovian is a fan of the Doctor, not of an actor. I'm betting that you were born after 1963, which means you also came to Doctor Who show later in the game (I did too). So maybe, like me, you are one of those annoying "New Series" fans. Freaking noob. ;)

Points 1-3: Removed by your own edit, which was a smart choice. The original posts showed that you had an ignorance and misunderstanding of the words you were using and delivered them in the most half-hearted fashion.

You have to understand that when someone comes at you with questions like "which comics are like a certain blockbuster movie" or "like a certain season of a popular TV show," then that is an opportunity to use your knowledge of comics to give them what they want. They were excited about seeing some good characters and action and they are intrigued to learn more. Let those people in. Educate. Get them to feel the same love for the medium that you have and then you will have created a new fan instead of discouraging current ones.

Comics! Comeback #1

Comeback #1 

Written and lettered by Ed Brisson
Illustrated by Michael Walsh

The Solicitation
Reconnect is more than a company - it's an opportunity for good. Reconnect can reverse tragedy by sending agents into the past to rescue your mother, your wife, your brother or father or child moments before their untimely death. Mark is one of these agents. He brings the rescued from the past to the present, to a blessed reunion with their loved ones. He saves lives...or does he?

Preview

Why I Bought It
It was a slow week for the number of books I pick up, and the cover really popped off the shelf to me. Worth a try I guess.

What I Liked
Well, I'm glad I tried that!

Seriously, this was a rather entertaining read. I didn't read the solicitation or understood the concept until after I read it. I was actually a little sad to reach the end of the book to find out that this will only be five issues long, but if the next issue can continue with the greatness that this one was, I will be in it until the end.

This book hit all the points that it needed to in the first issue. You got the concept, got the characters, and were intrigued enough to want more at the end of the issue.

It doesn't seem like this is just a light show to put on for people to scam them of their money, as I am intrigued with what makes time travel at all possible in this book.

The art also is well done. Characters have facial expressions, little character ticks, and nothing too fancy is going on with the panel structure to throw the reader off. Even the cover is well done and is intriguing enough to pop from the comic book shelf, which was part of the reason I picked it up to begin with.

What I Didn't Like
There really wasn't much to complain about, outside of this only being a five issue series. This book was a huge surprise to me and I am going to be recommending it to everyone to pick up.

Panel to Remember
I gotta go with the guy exploding after the time travel. It just really sold it for me at that point that I was going to be in it to find out more about what happened.

Quotable
"We just traveled 62 days into the future. Your future." - Yea, that was the line when I realized that this wasn't just a crime type of book but an awesome sci-fi type of adventure. Hooked.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: Hell yea, sign me up!

Comics! Punk Rock Jesus #5

Punk Rock Jesus #5 

Story and Art by Sean Murphy

The Solicitation
Chris and his band The Flak Jackets go on tour to spread his secular message across America. But his band wants to pull out when the conflict between the New American Christians and the punk army gets brutal. Will Chris be able to put a stop to the anarchy before everything ends in a violently horrible Second Coming?

No Preview

Why I Bought It
I'm into this comic until the end.

What I Liked
In this penultimate chapter of the series, I'm expecting some things to be set up for the conclusion next issue. And the book most certainly does that.

The art and story have remained consistent throughout this series, and that says a lot for Sean Murphy. PRJ begins to build himself as a strong character and shows that he wants to really dive into his new found beliefs head first.

While we almost get a throw away situation for the NAC, I do believe that they will rear their ugly heads again next issue. I'm also liking how this is set up for a couple of endings that seem predictable, but I think may just take a turn at the last minute. For one thing, Slate is seen in this issue, and if there is one thing we can expect from him it is that he will be ready with one last mind trip on all the characters involved.

What I Didn't Like
The end of the comic signals a couple of possible outcomes for the story, and it does make me wonder how it can surprise me. I imagine that there are a couple of outcomes for a conclusion. I imagine we would find out who Chris' father is. There will be a death with either Chris or Thomas biting it. I wonder if we will get the reveal that the good Doctor's daughter is actually Chris' sister. I'm going to be sad that this world is concluding.

Panel to Remember
I'm going with the two page spread where Thomas gets in the car accident. The one page that is mostly in black does a nice job of capturing that moment like a memory. It is dark, the details aren't all there, but it is something that you will remember. the accompanying page on the right shows how to nicely use staggered panels to lead a reader's eye through the chaos that Thomas felt in that moment. I want to say that this has been done before in this series, but if it hasn't then these two pages definitely show how you would have someone's world rocked.

Quotable
"Do you believe in god?"

"Don't be ridiculous." - Slate and the doctor, showing that Slate has been manipulating everyone all along. Like we didn't know that. But it does lend some weight to the idea that Slate is Chris' father.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 10/10
Buy Next Issue: It will be the last one. That makes me sad, but I'm still looking forward to it!

Comics! Happy! #2

Happy! #2 

Grant Morrison: writer
Darick Robertson: artist

The Solicitation
Trapped in a mob hospital at the mercy of the cold-eyed torture expert Smoothie and his team of dedicated sadists, the only hope for Nick Sax is Happy the Horse! With three days to Black Christmas, can our unlikely duo stay together long enough to stop Pedo-Santa's rampage?

Preview

Why I Bought It
The first issue was pretty good, and I do like both of the creators. With this series being only 4 issues, I guess you would say I am here until it is over.

What I Liked
Essentially we get more of the same from the first issue into this one. That's not a bad thing by any means, it just means more cursing, more blue horse, and more wonderful Robertson art. So if you take out the typical Morrison weirdness factor and instead substitute in the cursing, then it isn't too bad of a read.

The story does move forward and tell us that Hailey, the girl that Happy has been asking the main character Nick to save, is actually real. And there appears to be a weakness with Happy. Seems like Nick has to actually believe in him to some degree in order for him to be there, but somehow others  have the ability to make him disappear. Maybe Happy is just a symbol for Nick's confidence in himself, or at least confidence in his older self.

Thankfully, the book is entertaining, and is worth the price of admission.

What I Didn't Like
The main story just has a feeling to me of a by the numbers type of story. What I mean is that everything here is pretty expected. There aren't any points of the story that jump out to me as weirdly placed or feel like there is some sort of meta message going on. For a Morrison book, it reads as kinda dull and predictable with his standards. Some good character work is still being done, but it seems like a pretty typical story.

Panel to Remember
I loved the moment when LeDic looks up at his hat to try and see if a blue horse with wings and a horn is actually sitting on the edge of his cowboy hat.

Quotable
"Yerks!" - If this is the new way to have a blue horse show it's surprise, I'm all for it.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm in it to the end.

Comics! Saga #7

Saga #7 

Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples

The Solicitation
Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' smash-hit ongoing series returns! An all-new adventure begins, as new parents Marko and Alana make an unexpected discovery in the vast emptiness of outer space.

Preview

Why I Bought It
Oh, Saga. how I missed thee.

What I Liked
I've missed Saga. It was always a great read and a great comic overall. Which makes it a little difficult to review  mostly because there isn't much not to like about it.

Let me put it another way: this is an adult comic for an adult audience who really wants to have a great story told to them. I would say that there really aren't any kid-friendly material around here, and that is what makes it great. The book has a way of knowing the audience and speak directly to that audience.

This was the first issue back after the first trade, and I am getting the feeling that I got when I started to collect the trades for Y: The Last Man. You just can't wait for the book to come out. I resisted getting the individual issues, and I wish I had the will power for this comic as well. Unfortunately, the monthly bug got me so here I am reading away.

What I Didn't Like
I'm fairly certain that this issue was meant to be new reader friendly, but some parts don't come across like that. It does get acknowledged in the letter column in the back of the book that most people picking this issue up are probably familiar with or have picked up the first trade.  I'm pretty sure that anyone picking up this issue for the first time is probably going to go back and pick up the trade or single issues.

Panel to Remember
I kinda like the one page of the big fat naked guy. If anything, it tells me that both the good and the bad of all things nude will be rocking these pages. And I'm interested in seeing how the book picks up this story in the next issue. Should make for an interesting read.

Quotable
"Sankta fek." - I'm pretty sure this was Marko's mom saying something to the equivalent of "holy shit" or "fuck this." Nicely put, and I wonder if we will ever get a way to translate what they are saying.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: No questions asked, I'm down with this book until the end.

Comics! Batman & Robin #14

Batman and Robin #14

Peter J. Tomasi: writer
Patrick Gleason and Tomas Giorello: pencillers
Mick Gray: inker

The Solicitation

• Damian sets out to take down the Z Club!

• Batfans won’t want to miss this lead-in to the “DEATH OF THE FAMILY” event!

Preview

Why I Bought It
Batman and Robin, aka the Damian Show, has had a pretty decent run the past couple of issues. It can't get any worse, right?

What I Liked
I realized this issue that you can only have Gleason draw this comic, and all of the comic, or else anyone subbing in for a couple of pages just looks bad. Gleason started the art with the first few pages, then didn't come back until the end. It would have been better just for him to stay away for the whole issue. Hell, it could have been the past couple of issues if he was falling that far behind.

The only part of the story that I liked was the end when Damian showed the one pearl he found for Bruce that came from his mother's necklace. But it wasn't set up right. It just lacked that emotional payoff that the scene tried to pull off.

What I Didn't Like
This was a mess of a book. Seriously, from the art to the writing. It lacked a lot of emotional punch and consistency. It was a back handed way to tie in the Death of the Family story to the book with Joker being the one in charge of the zombies. How was that? By his use of chemicals in some manner. How did it make everyone want to be like zombies? Who knows.

Panel to Remember
Back in the cave they had a display for Jason Todd's Robin costume. Interesting. I don't remember off hand if this is the first time it is shown in the cave, but man, that is pretty weird.

Quotable
"Eat to live." - if only so I never have to hear that ridiculous phrase ever again.

Grades
Words: 5/10
Pictures: 4/10
Buy Next Issue: It is a Death in the Family official tie-in. I'll give it a go.

The Quick and the Read: 3 New Image Comics

The Quick and The Read: A Trio of First Issues From Image

Taking a look at three recent first issues from Image Comics. Let's get to the quick reviewing!

Point of Impact #1

Story by Jay Faerber
Art & Cover by Koray Kuranel

Preview


What I Liked
The art. I liked the black and white throughout the whole comic and thought it was done very nicely. Apparently this is the debut issue for this artist, and I must say that I am a fan. The fight scene felt very fluid and the use of space was nicely done.

What I Didn't Like
The story just felt very generic. Where as Happy! had the moment of revealing the blue imaginary horse, this story felt like it was missing that twist that would make this story seem to stand out from others like it. This very much felt like a television show or a tryout for a new procedural show.


Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: It is a four issue series, but I'm just not down with it after the first issue. I'll pass.

Great Pacific #1

Written by Joe Jarris
Art and colors by Matin Morazzo

Preview


What I Liked
I think I liked the idea of this comic more so than the actual execution. The art was OK. It reminded me a bit of a Quietly kind of look mixed with the Luna brothers. The writing itself seemed to be a little all over. It surprised me that this issue was more of a focus of the main character through the set up of him going to the island and what his life was like before jumping on the pile of junk. I think I may have liked the execution better if it had followed something similar to just putting the character in the middle of island and letting the character develop there. Seeing how he was beforehand gives me the same kind of feeling as if we learned about any characters from The Walking Dead before the apocalypse - the characters are such a vast difference from what they were before the event that they don't even seem like those characters any more.

So thus far, we've been introduced to a main character who won't resemble himself in an issue or two, probably.

What I Didn't Like
While the groundwork for the first issue and concept was laid out in the first issue, this felt like a very skippable first issue. The concept and premise sounds good to me, and I think I may pick up the second issue. But unless some stronger legs help stand this story up next issue, I think I may just check out.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: I think I may have to check out some preview pages before making a commitment one way or another.

Storm Dogs #1

Script: David Hine
Art: Doug Braithwaite


Preview

What I Liked
This is a story that definitely needed more pages for the first issue. I like the concept and the story approach, but it just felt very cramped and not developed considering the amount of pages that were involved.

The art work was beautiful.

What I Didn't Like
The story and art both needed to pan back. Together, they both focused on close up shots of the characters and character moments that, while good for individual development, didn't allow for the bigger picture to show. You can tell this when, at the end of the story, new characters appear out of nowhere and you are not quite sure what is going on with them. Should we be scared of them? Will they be there for hope? Who knows.

One sign of a great first issue is being able to lay down what the book will be about and to provide enough to make you care about the characters. While we do get some good info about the characters, there is a lot of the overall story that seems to be missing that was either left on the cutting room floor or will be told in the next issue. Which, again, only makes me think that we need to have some extra pages for this book that could travel into that territory a little more.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: Ultimately, no. There really isn't anything here that has my interest beyond this issue. Looks nice, but not for me.

Comics! Batman #14

Batman #14 

Scott Snyder: writer
Greg Capullo: penciller
Jonathan Glapion: inker
James Tynion IV: writer (backup)
Jock: artwork (backup)

The Solicitation

• "DEATH OF THE FAMILY" continues!

• The Joker is back and somehow more sinister than ever! What caused this change? And can even Batman stop a Joker so driven and dangerous?

• And where is Alfred?

• Plus: In the backup feature, The Penguin is running out of options as he's confronted by The Joker!

This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.


Preview

Why I Bought It
Let's see where this Joker and Snyder thing goes, shall we?

What I Liked
The art is just amazing. I seriously enjoy the little ticks here and there and little shout outs that really stand out on a second reading with the art. Did anyone notice the Joker colors used for a face like look to Batman's tape player? Or how there are 27 bodies in the river, a certain reference to Batman's first appearance?

There was a lot to like with the art. Joker's face alone is enough to creep things out a bit. But for as much as Capullo carries is off well in the main book, the back up with Jock delivers the goods just as much and just as creepy. Compare both of these works with what is done in Batgirl #14 and you can see where the art is needed to really sell the idea of what Joker has done with his face.

The big twist of the series takes place here, or at least what people perceive to be the big twist. Joker declares that he knows the identity for all the Bat-characters and the he will go after them in order to make Batman better. The other thing, that is a little overlooked, is that Joker blinds Alfred with ammonia to the eyes. I think that both of these scenarios are fake-outs on the hand of Snyder until I see them on panel. First of all, we will have to see Alfred with no eyes on panel and not through speech bubbles in order for me to believe that he is alive. The idea that Joker knows some secret identities will also have to be proven in order for me to believe it.

I do think that Joker knows who Jason Todd is, or at least we get that impression from Red Hood #0. But the idea that Bruce = Batman? I'm going to have to see some more proof on that. Bruce has publicly supported Batman, and I think that Joker is only going after Bruce and Alfred because that will bring out Batman, not the idea that Joker knows the secret ID. I think Joker is saying that he knows who everyone is in order to make them unstable and not think clearly so he can do whatever it is he wants to do here. Is it to make Batman better? Who knows. But we will know hopefully by story's end.

The idea that Batman will be the one to cause everyone's death? Notice that Gordon didn't do too bad until Batman showed up in his home. I think Batman was doused with something while in that tank at the beginning of the issue and as soon as he comes into contact with other characters then something will happen to make them react in a way that Gordon did. So why didn't Nightwing react when he was near Batman? They were in a more open air. Notice that Bruce had to be in the same room with Gordon for awhile before things started to react. Just a theory, but one that will be debunked or made true in the next issue.

What I Didn't Like
As I've mentioned before, the idea of the villain trying to make the hero better at his job was one that Johns did for Wally West Flash with Zoom. I'm OK with the logic behind how Joker will do it to Batman, but things do go a little over the top at times with the writing and Joker's exposition that just doesn't come across as references the Joker would make. Then again, we are dealing with a new Joker in the new 52, so maybe this Joker is a little more intelligent and loves to make literary references nonstop.

I haven't felt yet that this is Snyder's Joker. Outside of thinking that he will make Batman a better Batman, he hasn't done anything in this book that surprises me or makes me think that this version of Joker is owned by Snyder. Capullo has given him a good look, but there isn't anything in the writing yet that really makes me know ho Snyder's Joker ticks. Unless the goal is to make him look crazy as can be at all times, which in that case the art is definitely selling that.

Panel to Remember
I really liked the panel where Joker is leaning over the railing on the last page of the main story. Just to see the close-up look of the new face for Joker was pretty nice.

Quotable
"I burned your eyes with with ammonia." - Joker. That's not a mistake on my part, the word "with" was used twice. Is there a reason for this, or was this a mistake?

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm down. Although it is weird to think that I may be buying more to see the art from Capullo than the writing from Snyder.

Comics! Happy #1

Happy #1

Grant Morrison: writer
Darick Robertson: artist

The Solicitation

Meet NICK SAX - a corrupt, intoxicated ex-cop turned hit-man, adrift in a stinking twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, eczema and betrayal.

With a hit gone wrong, a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous child killer in a Santa suit on the loose, Nick and his world will be changed forever this Christmas.

By a tiny blue horse called Happy...


Preview

Why I Bought It
I've been a fan of Robertson's stuff since Transmetropolitan. Morrison can be hit or miss with his creator-owned stuff. Curiosity caught me on this one. And it was the first time that Morrison and Robertson have done an Image book, and done a book together - if memory serves correctly.

What I Liked
Well, this comic isn't meant for kids.

Trust me, that is a good thing.

Robertson has some terrific, consistent art that he delivers in this issue. You can tell that he is a master of his craft and knows how to angle and place characters in order to get the most out of his side of the story telling. Nicely done.

Morrison was a bit of a surprise for me this comic. This doesn't read like a typical Morrison book. Hell, the concept is a little like Morrison, but the big overall picture doesn't seem like him. There is more to an Ennis quality with the language, and the character Happy, a blue horse/unicorn thing, isn't an outside the box kind of character that I would expect Morrison to bring to the book. It seems rather tame by Morrison standards.

By normal issue number one standards, this book did a great job in setting everything up and getting us introduced to the twist of the comic. This very much feels like something in the same area as Fatale by Brubaker and Phillips; a noir/mob story with some special non-human characters popping in.

What I Didn't Like
This feels more like the start to an ongoing than it does to a four issue mini. I haven't heard that this is the first of a couple mini series from Morrison and Robertson or anything like that which would suggest the characters would be around longer than these four issues.

I did have to wait a bit for my shop to get the comic, which I guess is a good sign for the popularity of the book. Unfortunately my copy was a second printing, but I don't really plan on selling the book anytime soon anyhow.

Panel to Remember
I like that when Happy makes his first appearance, it is when Nick is upside down. Good framing and choice of position for the character to show that his world is about to be flipped around.

Quotable
"Pay attention to the talking horse!" - Happy, and with that, will keep me interested in how the series goes from here.

Grades
Words: 7/10 - Because this isn't typical Morrison feel to the story here.
Pictures: 9/10 - because this is a very typical and nicely done Robertson feel to the art here.
Buy Next Issue: I'm down with it, I just hope the story goes somewhere from here than what would feel like an uninteresting turn of events.

Comics! Creator-Owned Heroes #6

Creator-Owned Heroes #6 

Jimmy Palmiotti, Steve Niles, Justin Gray, Darwyn Cooke, Jerry Lando, Jay Russell, Paul Mounts, Andrew Ritchie

The Solicitation

STARTING: a monthly feature featuring graphic strips and material by DARWYN COOKE.

"KILLSWITCH," Part Two

Locked in a Peruvian Prison, Kill Switch awaits a Mexican hit squad as he tries to discover who put a bounty on his head and why. The bullets fly as our hero is led into a deadly game of death against the world's best and most eccentric assassins, but the gloves come off when they threaten his family.

"BLACK SPARROW" Part Two

His only son is dead, tried and hung for crimes the boy may or may not have committed. Now a father waits by the graveside. All he can do is pray and hope that his only son is not the evil the townspeople claim.

Plus: Interviews, contests, art galleries, con photos, and original articles all celebrating the creator-owned spirit.


Preview

Why I Bought It
When hasn't there been an issue of Creator-Owned Heroes that I haven't enjoyed?

What I Liked
I can't re-iterate how, month in and month out, this is a magazine that is devoted to any one interested in knowing more about comics beyond the superhero stuff. Yea, that thing sells, but in this type of magazine, creators get to tell you the chance as to why. Each and every article does nothing but express gratitude, love, and a commitment for comics and sequential story telling to reach its maximum potential.

I don't think there has been one article that I didn't like. And then there was the bonus of having some comic stories in here as well. Black sparrow concluded the two part story that started last issue and wrapped it up in an unexpected, but chilling way. Kill switch had that turn of events that makes you wonder how things will be concluded from here. And I didn't even get to Darwyn Cooke's contribution this issue.

I seriously don't know how the team that puts this book together does it. My hope is to spread the word for the simple amount of material that you get for $3.99, which far exceeded anything that any single issue of "Insert Name of Latest Big Two Superhero Event Here" book ever does. Seriously, insert your own pick for a title there and Creator-Owned outweighs it by colossal metric units of weight.

What I Didn't Like

Panel to Remember
The third to the last panel of Black Sparrow. It is the one that gives away the twist and will stick in your mind for a bit.

Quotable
"Write what you know in your heart is true." - Sound advice for any up and coming comic writer.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 9/10
Buy Next Issue: Until the day it stops printing.

News Articles and Reviews at Capeless Crusaders!

In case you have missed it, I've been putting up some must read articles over at Capeless Crusader.

Buying some Monkeybrain digital comics will help support the Hero Initiative. Check out some details here.

I've also got a review for last week's Batgirl #14, a tie in to the Death of the Family story line that is slicing it's way through all the Bat-books. Check it out here.

And also, we got an early review in for the new Judge Dredd series from IDW. Definitely worth a read, both the review and the book! Check it out here!

Comics! Green Lantern #14

Green Lantern #14 

Geoff Johns: writer
Doug Mahnke: penciller
Christian Alamy, Mark Irwin, Keith Champagne & Tom Nguyen: inkers

The Solicitation

• “Rise of the Third Army” continues!

• The Justice League comes after the new Green Lantern, demanding answers about the missing Hal Jordan!

• The Green Lantern Corps makes a disturbing discovery about the Guardians!


Preview

Why I Bought It
To see the "oh my, I didn't see that coming" of the hero fighting hero action.
.
What I Liked
There are a couple of really nice moments in the book that really stand out. I had to laugh when Baz stood there in front of the Justice League and just had some wide eyes going. I also liked the fact that we got a semi hint that the ring is really Sinestro's, which is something I would have guessed all along considering that Hal's part of the ring is just a knock-off of Sinestro's ring.

What I Didn't Like
This felt like nothing but a filler issue. And for being a part of an event, it really feel very flat with what we've come to expect from Green Lantern stories as of late.

First off, the hero vs. hero motif takes up most of the issue. Of course, it all started off a simple misunderstanding between everyone involved and won't matter when this Green Lantern joins up with the Justice League which we've seen solicited for a February release. Don't you hate it when that happens?

If we focused on the rest of the comic, we basically are getting a look at the status quo/rehash of what is going on with all the sub-plots. The one exception being that Hal and Sinestro get visited by some sinister looking character at the end of the book that ended with the typical Johns "cliffhanger."

I get that there is supposed to be this big crossover going on now with all the Green Lantern titles, but the one that feels the most excluded has to be the main Green Lantern book. We're getting a basic introduction to a new Green Lantern that doesn't have a place in the crossover. Baz, as a character, is doing pretty good, but the start feels a little generic for a new character. Outside of his heritage, there doesn't seem to be much that makes him stand out from any other Green Lantern. He could die right now in this crossover and I just wouldn't care too much. It just feels like there is a lot of potential with him and Johns is just taking his time to get to the meat of this character right now.

Panel to Remember
I'll go with the wide-eyed expression when Baz meets the Justice League for something to remember.

Quotable
"You don't really expect me to fight you, do you?" - Baz. The Justice League might not expect it, but the reader can call this from a mile away.

Grades
Words: 6/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: This story line is just dragging on and on. Can we get to the point yet?

Comics! Daredevil End of Days #2

Daredevil End of Days #2 

Brian Michael Bendis & David Mack: writers
Klaus Janson: pencils
Bill Sienkiewicz: finished art & colors

The Solicitation

• The Kingpin has been murdered! Daredevil has been murdered! And that’s just the beginning of the story!
• Ben Urich digs deep into the seedy underbelly of the MU & discovers Matt Murdock’s biggest secret yet!
• Some of the greatest creators to ever take on the Man Without Fear unite for his final story!


No Preview

Why I Bought It
The first got us some of the set up. Now let's dig a little deeper into this world and see if it has some legs to stand on.

What I Liked
We definitely get a "world building" feel to the book. In a world where the twilight of heroes obviously happened, we get little shout outs in one two page spread in particular. Fantastic Foods, Hulk the Musical, and images of superheroes everywhere dot the landscape. Hell, the Avengers even have a museum.

This issue is essentially a tour of the ex-girlfriends of Daredevil and where they all are today. It makes for an interesting set up as we catch up with the ladies of Daredevil's life from yesteryear. We don't really touch too much on the mystery of why he died and what he did for all those years in the dark and out of the limelight, but I guess you have to have something for the next issue.

What I Didn't Like
I really wish Alex Maleev would have drawn this book. Janson is good, but the feel of the story is just missing a little. The art tends to be a bit on the sketchier side at times and is just feels about half-way finished. It also had the feel of being very padded. Seriously, this is a slow paced book and at four bucks a pop I want to see the story get to places. If memory serves, most of The End books were one shots or a four issue series, save for X-men which had 18 issues.

And pardon me if I am wrong and have missed something about recent Daredevil events, but isn't Milla supposed to be blind? She certainly wasn't acting like she was blind. There definitely is something missing there.

And yea, if that wasn't a shout out to being Matt's kid, I don't know what is.

And the cover I got was some bald guy without any distinguishing characteristics that made me think that I knew the person. What was up with that? Who was that?

Panel to Remember
I'll go for the two page spread. It was nice.

Quotable
"Mapone." - I am seriously going to be sick of that word by the end of the next issue if it keeps making appearances that feel like every other page. It really wasn't that over-bearing, but I feel like it could get that way.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: Eh. This may be a digital buy after a price reduction for any future issues. It just isn't hitting like I thought it would.

Comics! Detective Comics#14

Detective Comics #14

Written by John Layman
Art by Jason Fabok
Backup art by Andy Clarke

The Solicitation

• When Bruce Wayne’s life is saved by The Penguin, what surprises are in store for The Dark Knight?

• And in the backup story, an intimate look at Gotham City’s most dangerous foes provides a hint of the maelstrom to come.


Preview

Why I Bought It
Layman. Batman. That is all.

What I Liked
All around this was another great issue of Layman's Batman in Detective Comics. Things really start to turn and you see the approach that Layman is taking to Batman quite clearly. Batman's moral compass is to always do what is right even if it means letting someone like Penguin not become a victim of Poison Ivy's crimes. And that is after Cobblepot scored his way to a rather successful moment in the public eye. But the real threat here is Ogilvy. He was the one pushing Penguin in the right direction, and I'm sure he will be the big bad at the end of this.

It is funny to me. When Bruce says that it is the right thing to do when Damian says he doesn't like it, it sorta mirrors what Superman should be like and his ideals. And Damian's attitude in this comes across great. He is very much like the Bat-dick that Bruce was in the old universe. Definitely the potential to be his father's son.

The twist at the end was explained in the backup, and I have a feeling that this will be a good time next issue. The last I remember seeing Poison Ivy and Clayface together was when No Man's Land was going on, and Ivy was somehow held captive. The table are turned here, and I think it makes much more sense.

I must give a big kudos to the two different art teams on the book. Even when I flip through it, it becomes difficult to find out where one art style stops and the other begins. That was nicely done. And the art was just perfect throughout.

What I Didn't Like
Well, something happened in Birds of Prey. Some acknowledgment was given to what happened, but ultimately I don't care. All I got from it was that Ivy is no longer with them and she planned it to be that way. At least, that is what I read from it.

Panel to Remember
I'm not typically a fan of one page panels, but Clayface's entrance was definitely something that makes me look forward to seeing what is next.

Quotable
"A half second slower and Bruce Wayne would have had his head lopped off." - Damian

"Nonsense, Damian. That wasn't even close." - Bruce

(Earlier in the issue) - "A quarter second slower and Bruce Wayne would have had his head lopped off." - Bruce.

Awesome exchange.

Grades
Words: 9/10
Pictures: 10/10
Buy Next Issue: I'm on board. I think it is a Death of the Family tie in, but I'll still get it regardless.

Comics! The Quick & The Read: Rotworld Part 2

The Quick & The Read: Rotworld Part 2

Animal Man #14 

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist, Interiors & Cover: Steve Pugh
Penciller (pages 1, 2, 13-16): Timothy Green II
Inker (pages 1, 2, 13-16): Joseph Silver

What I Liked
Writing about these two issues since they are covering the same "world."

We get to see more about what happened to the previous heroes, but wasn't that just the same thing as before? Aw well, still entertaining.

And kudos to dividing up the art in the correct fashion. Showcasing two different worlds and using two different artists for each one makes sense and is the proper way on how to do a fill in artist spot.

What I Didn't Like
Seriously, still feel like we are spinning our wheels here with this story. If this is supposed to be over in four parts, then we need to get to the halfway point and it still feels like this story is starting. And introducing Grodd into the story at this point? It better be because he is turning into an ally, otherwise it is just filling up space.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 8/10
Buy Next Issue: I guess. And that isn't how I should be reacting to this book at this point.

Swamp Thing #14


Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Yanick Paquette

What I Liked
I seriously feel like I can hold these two books up to one another as the stories and everything are still pretty much the same. That is a kinda cool feeling and nice way of showing how much all the collaborators are working on the books and overall story.

The art, even though it was done by one person, still had the feel of a different style when the stories to the past were featured. That is a nice attention to detail that I love to see happen.

What I Didn't Like
Again, I just felt like we are spinning the wheels here. The one difference is that this book featured a character that is making an appearance in the "past" setting of the other book. So it really connects the two, but then makes me scratch my head still at Grodd coming into the story in Animal Man.

Grades
Words: 7/10
Pictures: 8/10
Buy Next Issue: I guess. And that isn't how I should be reacting to this book at this point.